Fastest Way for Teenagers to Gain Weight

The fastest way for teens to increase their weight is by consuming more calories. If your teenager is underweight and would like to add some pounds to their frame, there are several lifestyle adjustments he can make.

Caloric Intake

• Similar to weight loss, weight gain should be done gradually and in a healthy fashion. Youngwomenshealth.org recommends a weight gain goal of 1 to 2 pounds per week. Adding 500 calories to your current calorie intake will produce an increase in weight. You can add calories by adding extra butter to foods such as bagels and muffins, or placing some butter on your vegetables. Sprinkling cheese over your food will also add calories as will substituting low-fat and non-fat dairy with full fat dairy products.

Portion Size

• Gradually increasing your teenager's portions will also lead to weight gain. Start by increasing the volume of his breakfast by adding extra cereal or an extra pancake. Over time, you can increase the volume of your teen's lunch and dinner also. Doubling your teen's snacks is another way to help him gain weight. Instead of two cookies, have him eat four cookies.

Weight Training

• Muscle weighs more than fat. If your teenager wants to gain weight, motivate him to start lifting weights and do compound exercises. Compound exercises such as push-ups, lunges, squats and chin-ups work multiple muscles at the same time, resulting in quick muscle growth. Your teen should take on a full-body approach where all body parts are trained. He should do multiple sets of each exercise, two to three times per week. Weight training will also keep the extra calories your teen consumes from being stored as fat.

Nutritional Shakes

• Muscle needs protein to develop and grow. To support your protein intake, you can drink a protein shake per day. There are also weight gain shakes available that are high in protein, carbohydrates and calories. You can find them at your local health food and physical fitness stores.